Process for macerating crushed sugar-cane



C. MCNEIL. Y PROCESS FOR MACERATING CRUSHED SUGAR CANE.

' APPLICA-TION FILED APR.2Z,1918 Patented Jan. 13, l1920.

.l g u veyer, it is;A macerated by belng j elther sprayed with water orweak juice or pulled yby the conveyer through water or juice in aCHARLES McN EIL, 0F GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

PROCESS FOR MACERATING CRUSHED SUGAR-CANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 19.20.

v Application filed April 22, 1918. Serial No. 230,075.

' proved Process for Macerating Crushed Sugar-Cane,"of which thefollowing is the specification. l i

In the modern process of crushing sugar cane,'the cane is passed througha number of mills in succession, the megass being carried from one millto the next by al1-endless conveyer or the like, and after it falls fromthe megass roller of one mill onto the contrough.

In this known process, as the cane, when it is freed from the pressureof the rolls of 'any one mill, immediately expands in bulk and in doingso occludes a large amount of air which prevents the cane from properlyabsorbing ess has thus to be unduly repeated before all the juice iseffectively extracted from the cane. -Thus the total volume of waterrequired carrying out the process is much` in 'excess of that whichgives the most eco-l nomical working of the subsequent evap`- oratingplant, and .considerable unneceary expense is thereby incurred inevaporating this excess water.

To overcome this objection, according to the present. invention, thecane, after it has passed between the upper-.and back-ormegass rollersof each mill, or after ity has passed the preliminary-crushing rollersof any one'mill where such preliminary rollers are used, is againsubjected to pressure and at the same time sprayed with water or weakjuice applied toit under such a head that it absorbs the full amount ofliquid before it can expand to its full bulk and draw in air. Preferablythe pressure 4liquid is forced into the cane at the point in its travelwhere the maximum pressure applied to -it is just released, and furtherthe cane is also preferably moistened before being subjected to thisadditional pressure so that the pressure does useful work in extractingjuice from the Cane.

i The improved process may be carried outpla-natory drawings.

the water or weak juice,` the procin yvarious ways; for example the canemay be subjected to the combined pressure and l spraying by being passedbetween a fluted or serrated roller,vthe bearings of which are loaded,and a box perforated on the side adjacent to the roller, being forcedinto this box and through the perforations ontothe cane at the pointWhere `the maximum pressure between the roller and the box lis on thepoint of release. The box and part of the roller may be submerged inliquid in a trough, so that the cane is soaked before being subjected tothis additional pressure which thus also acts to extract juice from thecane. roller may be driven in any suitable manner from the mill gearing.

An example of the improved apparatus for carrying out the invention` isshown somewhat diagrammatically in sectionalr side elevation on anaccompanying sheet ofex- "As shown in thisd'rawing, the cane, afterithas passed between the upper and back or megass rollers A, A1.subjected to pressure and at the same time sprayed with water or weakjuice' by being' passed between4 a serrated roller B,-the bearings ofwhich are loaded by springs B1 and a plate C part of which forms theupper sideof a box C1, supported beneath the roller B, by'flanges C2 onit bolted to the end housings D.` The plate C is perforated at C3, andliquid under pressure passes intethe box C1' through the inlet D1 theperforationsC3 point Where the-maximum pressure between the roller B andthe box C1 is of release.' The megass therefore absorbs the full amountof liquid' before'it is free to expand to its full bulk and' draw inair. The box C1 and'part of the plate C and roller B are submerged inliquid in a trough D2, so that'the megass is soaked before beingsubjected to the additional pressure hereinbefore described between theroller B and through liquid under pressure' The luted `onto the megassat the of a mill, is 'again at the point and plate C. This pressuretherefore does useful work in extracting juice from thev megass. c

The roller B is `driven by gearwheels shown by chain lines E, E1, andwhen the serrated roller has pulled themegass through between it and theplate C, the mega/ss then falls from the forward end of the plate on tothe usual endless conveyer E2 which conveys it to the next mill, asliereinbefore described.

ThatI I Claim is z* l. Mneerntingy nppurntus for sugar enne, comprising:i pressure roll. n pressure plnte between whieh und snid roll the enneyis pussed. und menus for introdueilr;r liquid under pressure throughseid phlte into rontzict. with the Compressed enne. for the purposedescribed.

2. Mzuernting apparatus for sugar enne, comprising :L pressure roll` npressure plnte between Whieh und seid roll the enne is passed, :ipressurextrough on the. outer trice of said plate, and means. forleading to said trough liquid under pressure` seid plate being aperturedin register with suid trough to ndniit the pressure liquid into Contactwith the compressed enne.l for the. purpose specified.

Mueernting nppnrntus for sugar enne,

eoniprising u liquid treating tnnk. menus for subjecting the erushedenne to pressurel while sulnnerg'ed therein. und menus for applyingliquid under pressure to the enne nuiss at the point of its release frompressure in the tank.

In testimomY whereof I have signed my nume to this specification.

CHARLES MCNEIL.

